Welding apparatus



April 4-, 1944, c. RINGWALD WELDING APPARATUS Filed Sept. 2, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet l j INVENTOR.

m u Wm! BY ar al, ATTORNEYS.

April 1944' c. RINGWALD 2,345,630

. WELDING APPARATUS Filed Sept. 2, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 g y a IN VENTOIEi W F151. wnfi i Patented Apr. 4, 1944 STATES PATE'l 3 Claims This invention relates to portable welding ma-= chines, it more particularly relating to means for supporting parts at least of the welding machine in relation to the work.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide means for supporting parts at least 01' the welding machine which will permit the machine to readily and quickly move along the work to form the welding operations.

A further object of the invention is to provide asupport for parts at. least of a welding machine which will adapt the machine more ei== ficiently for resistance welding by enabling the pressure on the electrode to be more eiiectively applied.

A further object of the invention is to provide a support for welding electrodes when the elec= tro-magnet is not used as an electrode.

a more specific object of the invention is to provide a support comprising an electro-magnet which may be energized from any suitable source of direct, current electrical supply to cause it to be attracted to either the metallic work or to a metallic support for the work.

Other objects of the invention will appear from the accompanying description, claims and draw= ings.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. l is a side elevational view, partially in section, of a magnetically attached electric weid ins; head of the suspended type such as may be used on a surface, 'such for instance as in the case of a ships hull.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the same on the line 2-2 of 1.

Fig. 3 is a circuit diagram thereci.

Fig. 4 is a view partly in side elevation and partly in vertical. section of a modification.

Fig. 5 is an end view of the same.

Fig. 6 is a circuit diagram for the apparatus shown in Figs. 4 and 5..

Referring first to Figs. 1 to 3, inclusive, i represents the holder for the electrode 2, the elec= trade 2 being a part of any well known welding apparatus of the suspended type; the other parts of the welding machine such as the control box and its control mechanism, the transformer and so forth not being shown but being suspended in any suitable way. Current to the transformer is supplied from A. 0. power lines shown at 3 and 5 in Fig. 3 which lead from the control box in a well known way and are connected to the ends of a primary 5 of a step-down transformer, one end of the secondary 8 of which is connected to the electrode 2 by copper cable 7 encased in a all) tube 8 of insulating material which is preferably hollow to provide for water cooling. The cable 7! is connected to a terminal lug 9 which is bolted to a split terminal ill which is clamped to the holder l by the bolts 5".

The holder i and electrode 2 are supported by an electro-magnet, the body of which is indicated at t2, the core at 53 and the coil at it.

Current is supplied to the coil from D. C. power lines l5 and it, these lines it and it leading to a suitable timing device in the control box here toiore referred to, which is not shown as it is well known in the art. Bolted to the body of the electro-magnet is a circular head i 9, the body of the magnet being pi eferably cylindrical in form, the bolts which secure the head to the body of the magnet being indicated at 2t). Two or? the bolts 29 secure "to the head it a split bracket 2! which is clamped to the holder i by the bolt 22. A handle 23 is formed integrally with the bracket and its lower end is attached to the head by one of the bolts 20. The bolts which secure the bracket and handle are insulated from the head by the insulating washers 2d; the head it being also insulated from the body of the magnet by insulating material 25.

Fluid pressure means are carried by the holder 1 for applying pressure to the electrode 22, such means not being shown as they are of a well lmown character, air under pressure being pref erably supplied thereto through the flexible pipe 26.

The core it of the electromaanct is preferably water-cooled and for that purpose is formed with a chamber 27! having a division wall it. The chamber 2i communicates with passages 29 and so formed in the body or the magnet and wet is supplied to and exhausted from the chamber it by the water lines all and. 32 which pass through apertures 33 and 3% in the head id which apertures communicate with passages 29 and 30.

In the present case the body oi the electro= magnet forms one of the electrodes and one end of the secondary of the transformer is connected therewith through the copper cable 35, the cable being connected to the terminal 38.

For the purpose of applying pressure to the electrode 2 by the fluid pressure means a thumb switch 3! is carried by the upper portion of the handle which controls the iiuid pressure means. For the purpose of suspending the structure described there is provided a bifurcated hanger, the members of which are indicated at 38, the

lower ends of which are secured to the upper portion of the handle by the bolts 39.

In Fig. 1 the device is shown positioned against a metallic wall 40 such as the hull of a ship for the purpose of welding to the hull a metallic angle-shaped strengthening rib indicated at Ii. In operation, the magnet will first be energized by the closing of suitable switch members (not member 3? in a well known way. The switch.

members are usually controlled by time-operated devices in a control box (not shown). The body l2 of the magnet acts a a second electrode, the circuit being to the electrode 2 through the metallic work and through the magnet l2 to the cable 35 to the secondary of the transformer. If desired manual operation of the switch members can be used in the same sequence.

By this arrangement it will be seen that a welding machine is provided, the .electrode of which can be readily removed from one position of welding operation to another and being securely held in each of those positions by an electromagnet which is positioned directly upon the work to be welded, the magnet acting as the other electrode.

In Figs. 4, 5 and 6 there is shown a modification in which those parts which are common to Figs. 3, 4 and 5 are given the same reference characters with the addition of a prime exponent. In this modified view the electrode 2 and its holder I are not only carried by the electromagnet but the transformer for the welding current is also carried thereby.

The core Q2 of the transformer is attached to the body of the electro-magnet by a pair of angle plates 43, the vertical legs of which are fastened to the core of the transformer by the bolts d5 and the horizontal legs of which are secured to tened to the transformer core by the bolts 5| and the horizontal legs of which are secured to the arm by the cap screws 52. Attached to the arm 49 is the holder l for the electrode 2', the holder having a threaded extension 53 extendin through the arm and with nuts 54 thereon whereby it may be clamped to the arm. Any suitable means (not shown) may be employed to apply fluid pressure to the electrode, a flexible connection like the one shown at 26 in Fig. 1 being applied at any suitable point in the holder i.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In an apparatus of the character described, a single welding machine electrode, an electric welding circuit for said electrode comprising a transformer, and a support for said electrode and'transformer comprising an electro-magnet excited by direct current adapted to be applied to the metallic work adjacent the point of the welding operation, said electrode being located entirely at one side of said support and closely adjacent thereto, and all of the parts located on the same side of the work.

2. In an apparatus of the character described, a single welding machine electrode, an electric circuit for said electrode comprising a transformer, and a support for said electrode comprising an electro-magnet excited by direct current adapted to be applied to the metallic work adjacent the point of the welding operation, the body of said electro-magnet acting as a second electrode and being in series with said first electrode in said electric circuit, said electrode being located entirely at one side of said support and closely adjacent thereto, and all of the parts located on the same side of the work.

3. In an apparatus of the character described, a single welding machine electrode, an electric welding circuit for said electrode comprising a transformer; a support for said electrode comprising an electro-magnet excited by direct current adapted to be applied to the metallic work adjacent the point of the welding operation, the metallic body of said magnet having an electrical connection with the secondary of said transformer so as to act as a second electrode, said electrode being located entirely at one side of said support and closely adjacent thereto, and all of the parts located on the same side of the work.

' CLARENCE RINGWALD. 

